University of Maine Director of Athletics Steve Abbott announced on Nov. 9, 2010 that Lynn Coutts will be the head coach of the UMaine Softball team.
    
Lynn Hearty Coutts was a four-year letterwinner for the Black Bears from 1983-1987, earning All-America honors in 1987. In addition, she served as an assistant coach for the Black Bears from 1990-1994 and is a member of the UMaine sports hall of fame.

 "We are delighted to have Lynn back at UMaine," said Abbott.  "She is a tremendous leader and an excellent teacher. She has a great vision for how to build on the success of this program.  Lynn loves softball and she loves UMaine -- we just couldn't have a better fit for our program."

"I would like to thank President Paul Ferguson, Athletic Director Steve Abbott and the University of Maine for the opportunity to lead the Black Bear softball program," said Coutts.  "Steve's enthusiasm for UMaine softball is infectious and I am thrilled to join his efforts in creating a presence in America East as well as around the state. I'm eager to begin building a lasting relationship with the student athletes, the University community and all the fans in our state.  I can't wait to get started!"

Coutts comes to Maine with 20 years of softball teaching and coaching experience, as she has had her hand in a variety of softball operations. Coutts has owned and operated the Frozen Ropes Training Center in southern Maine since 1997, where she is responsible for developing pitching and hitting curriculum for individual and clinic settings. At the training center, Coutts also recruits and trains softball instructors, hosts coaching clinics for Maine ASA and high school coaches and assists in overseeing the budget.

Aside from running the Frozen Ropes Training Center, Coutts has directed the Maine Thunder softball travel teams, recruiting players and coaches for seven teams while also training both players and coaches. Coutts became the head coach of the Maine Thunder 18U College Showcase Team in 2008. Coutts guided the Thunder to a fourth place showing in 2008 in the Eastern National ASA Tournament. Under her guidance with the Thunder, Coutts placed six of her student-athletes with Division I programs in the past four years.

Coutts has also kept her ties close with the Maine program over the past few years as she was a pitching consultant for the Black Bears in 2007-08. During that year, Coutts spent two days a week designing and organizing specific workouts for the Maine pitching staff. Coutts traveled with the team to Florida and Hawaii, working closely with the pitching staffs in all aspects of their game including conditioning, mechanics and mentalities.

From 1990-1994, Coutts was an assistant coach with the Black Bears. She worked closely with the Maine pitching staff. The Black Bears improved dramatically in Coutts' years as an assistant as the team went from 11-33 to 32-17 and the North Atlantic Conference Champions in 1994.

Following her time as an assistant with the Black Bears, Coutts coached at Franklin High School from 1997-99. She was also the head coach for Orono High School in 1987.

Coutts has been committed to high school softball as she served as President of the Maine High School Softball Coaches Association from 2010-11. Coutts shined as a player for the Black Bears as she was a member of the Black Bear pitching staff from 1983-87. Coutts led the team to the 1987 ECAC Championship and also captained the Black Bears from 1985-87. At the time of her graduation, Coutts held the school-records for most innings pitched in a season (183), and career (544.3), most strikeouts in a season (152), and career (318), and most victories in a season (18) and career (41). She was named a Northeast All-American in 1987 and was inducted into the University of Maine Hall of Fame in 1993.

Coach Coutts and her husband, former UMaine Associate Head Baseball Coach Mike Coutts, have two children, Jackson 13 and Maggie 9.